PPROVED FOR RELEASE - HISTORICAL COLLECTION DATE: HR7 8-2012 --

Intelligence Information Report

THISIS AN INFORMATION REPORT, NOT FINALLY EVALUATED INTELWGENCE

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COUNTRY /USSR Pact FRONTS Within the Western Theater of SUBJECT Military Operatons (DOI: Late 1981)

SOURCE

(SUMMARY: In a war with NATO in the central European region, the Soviets would employ at least six FRONTS under the direction of Commander-in-Chief of the Strategic Grouping of Forces within the Western Theater of Military Operations (TMO). The Soviet and national forces based in Poland, and comprise the first echelon FRONTS with the second echelon FRONTS being formed by the forces in the western Military Dstricts (MD) of the USSR. END OF SUMMARY).

1. In the context of a limited mobilization scenario, the Soviet and national forces based in East Germany, Poland and Czechoslovakia' and the western MDs of the USSR form at least six separate FRONTS under the control of the Commander of the Strategic Grouping of Forces within the Western TMO. The first echelon FRONTS are established as follows:

- The FRONT formed primarily from the Group of Soviet 5 Forces, Germany (the GSFG FRONT) making the main attack). 4 3 - The Polish FRONT on the coastal axes. 2

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- The southwestern (Czechoslovak) FRONT on the southern flank. Second echelon FRONTS are formed in the Baltic, Belorussian and Carpathian Ms. These second echelon FRONTS advance to the West on at least 20 predesignated transit highways through Poland and Czechoslovakia. The second echelon FRONTS are to be committed on or about day 6 to day 8 of the offensive-- about the time the first echelon FRONTS are reaching their initial objectives. This is viewed as the critical stage of the strategic offensive, and the commitment of the three second echelon FRONTS, along with additional air and amphibious forces, increases the force ratio from approximately 1:1 to approximately 1.5:1 in favor of the and creates conditions permitting more rapid development of the operation.

2. The Polish FRONT operates in the zone from Lubeck in the north to the Wittenberg area and is responsible for operations along the North Sea coast and into the Jutland peninsula. One Polish army, supported by airborne and amphibious forces, conducts the offensive into the Jutland peninsula and - -- -zeeland- to seize- -and--secure-the-Danish straits. The-main -- effort of the Polish FRONT is the offensive along the 'coastal axis to seize crossing points over the Rhine River--the initial objective--and proceed to Brussels and the French border.

3. The GSFG FRONT, operating in the zone south from Wittenberg to Hof, will be the spearhead of the attack within the Western TMO. The GSFG FRONT offensive is conducted with five armies in the first echelon and two in the second echelon. Additionally, two East German corps have local missions within the operational zone of the GSFG FRONT. One East German corps conducts operations against West- Berlin. Comment: The five armies of the GSFG comprise the basis of the GSFG FRONT; however, there is some uncertainty regarding the identity of the other two armies. One of the armies may be formed from the two tank divisions. of the Northern Group of Forces. Since the East German MD V probably has the mission to conduct screening operations on the northerp flank of the GSFG FRONT until the Polish FRONT has deployed forward, the East German MD III is a likely cnadidate for the Seventh Army of the GSFG FRONT. In this case, the Berlin operation may be the responsibility of the East German lst Motorized Rifle Brigade and/or elements of 20th Guards Army. The Polish 2nd Army is another possible candidate for the Seventh Army of the GSFG FRONT (see paragraph 7).)

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4. The area from Hof to the Austrian border is the operational zone of the Czechoslovak FRONT. This FRONT comprises the Czechoslovak national forces and the Soviet Central Group of Forces, and is responsible for the initial offensive operations westward from Czechoslovakia, on the southern flank of the main strategic axis.

5. The attacks by the three first echelon FRONTS create gaps which are to be filled by the Baltic, Belorussian and Carpathian FRONTS, advancing directly west from the western MDs of the USSR. The Belorussian FRONT advances to the south of Berlin on the Bialystok - Poznan - Leipzig - south of Bonn axis. (Source Comment: One tank army of the Belorussian MD may be used to augment the Polish FRONT of the coastal axis.) The Belorussian FRONT's advance into the forward area is conducted along the following predesignated .lines of communications-- identified as transit highways 7-13:

---Krynki - Bialystok -=Ciechanow - Gniezno - Poznan - Slubice (Highway #7)

-- Bobrowniki - Bialystok - Ostrow Mazowiecki - Plock - Wrzesnia - Swiebodzin - Urad (Highway #8)

-- Bialowieza - Wyszkow - Kutno - Srem - Sulechow - Gubin (Highway #9)

-- Tokary - Sokolow Podlaski - Radzymin - Blonie - Jarocin - Nowa Sol - Zasieki (Highway #10)

-- Terespol - Gora Kalwaria - Zgierz - Glogow - Zary - Bad Muskau (Highway #11)

-- Slawatycze - Deblin - Tomaszow Mazowiecki - Olesnica - Lubin Goerlitz (.Highway #12)

-- Wolka Okopska - - Radom - Kepno - - Zlotoryza - Frydlant (Highway #13)

6. The Carpathian FRONT advances through southern Poland and Czechoslovakia on the southern Poland - Prague - Nuernberg - Karlsruhe - France axis. The following seven transit highways have been predesignated for the deployment of the Carpathian 5 FRONT: 5 4 4 3 -- Husynne - Krasnystaw - Starachowice - Radomsko - 3 2 Lewin Brzeski - Swipnica - Jabolnec (Highway #14) 2

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-- Witkow - Bilgoraj - - - Nowa Ruda - Broumov (Highway #15)

-- Hrebene - Belzec - Jedrzejow - Krapkowice - Klodzko - Jaromierz (Highway #16)

-- Krowica Holodowskia - Mielec - Olkusz - Rybnik - Prudnik - Jesenik (Highway #17)

-- Krakowiec - Rzeszow - Wieliczka - Zory - Gluczyn (Highway #18)

-- Medyka - Przemysl - Jaslo - Wadowice - Cieszyn (Highway 019)

-- Kroscienko - Sanok - Nowy Sacz - Zywiec - Czadcai (Highway #20)

.. The forces of. the Baltic MD may operate as either a FRONT or an independent.army along the North Sea coast. The six transit highways predesignated for use by the Baltic forces are as follows:

-- Gronowo - Elblag - Bobolice - Ploty - South of -- Linken (Highway #1)

-- Glebock - Orneta - Starogard Gdanski - - Stargard Gardno (Highway #2)

-- Bartoszyce - Morag - Swiecie - Walcz - Pyrzce - Schwedt (Highway #3)

-- Wielewo - Ketrzyn - Olsztyn - Chelmno - Pila - Strzelce Krajenskie - - Cedynia (Highway #4)

-- Rakowicze - Augustow - Szczytno - Bydgoszcz - Gorzow Wielkopolski - Kostrzyn (Highway #5)

-- Nowy Dwor - Kolno - Milawa - Torun - Wagrowiec - Skwierzyna - Kostrzyn (Highway #6) The Soviets provided .very little information to the regarding the intended role of the forces in the Baltic MD. 5 This, coupled with the knowledge of the lines of communications5 leading into the Polish zone of operations, led to speculation 4 3 among senior Polish planners that the Soviets intended for the.3 2 2

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Baltic FRONT (or independent army) to assume responsibility for the offensi:.ve on the coastal axis. The Polish planners envisaged a fragmentation of Polish forces and responsibilities and speculated that the Polish 2nd Army would be resubordinated to the GSFG FRONT and the remaining Polish forces would be responsible only for the offensive on the Jutland axis.

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